_Sumpter District, S. C., Nov. 4th, 1843._
IN those excellent matter-of-fact articles on the cultivation of
cotton, which have appeared in the late numbers of your paper, by Dr.
Philips of Miss., and which, by the way, are the best I have ever seen
on the subject, I do not recollect that he has touched upon the subject
of topping cotton. I have made one experiment in this, and was pleased
with the result. Some planters north of us, I understand, have also
tried this method, and find the cotton is not so apt to shed, as when
it is not topped, especially in wet seasons. Ordinarily we reckon the
first week in August the best time for topping; but this, of course,
will depend upon the season, and the forwardness of the crop--for
sometimes it must be earlier, and sometimes later.
I tried the effects of what I suppose to be marl, on a small spot in
one of my fields, say about one acre. The marl I judge to be of poor
quality, yet can not say, positively, as I have no analysis of it.
I dug it out in January last, and spread it broad-cast, at the rate
of 30 loads to the acre, as large as an ordinary pair of mules would
carry. It seemed to pulverize well, exposed to the severe frost of last
winter, and I plowed it in deeper than I usually plow, and harrowed the
land well. The result is, I shall get full one third if not one half
more cotton off of this piece than any other part of the field, which
more than pays me for the trouble.
I need not say that we read the articles on manures in the
Agriculturist with much interest; for many of us are beginning to learn
that it is not only easier and better, but even _cheaper_ to renovate
our old lands, than emigrate to a new country and bring new lands into
cultivation.